yoga for women

From adolescence through to motherhood, menopause, and
old age, women undergo many life changes. Throughout,
yoga he|ps women to strengthen both body and mind and
create a state of balance and harmony.

At each stage of a woman's life, her body
undergoes physical and psychological changes. The practice
of yoga can be modified and adapted to suit her changing
needs in each phase, helping her to achieve peace of
mind and bodily poise.

From childhood to adolescence

At adolescence, young girls undergo many changes in
body and mind. This period of sudden change is an ideal
time to begin the practice of yoga asanas and pranayama,
both of which can help to maintain a healthy and regular
menstrual cycle The practice can be tailored to concentrate
on poses that help to strengthen emotional stability,
regulate mood swings, and avoid menstrual disorders. Yoga
is also beneficial during this period of growth as it
helps to develop muscular strength, avoid obesity, assist
the development of the reproductive organs, and balance
hormones.

Yoga and menstruation

yoga from conception to motherhood

From pre-conception through to pregnancy and motherhood,
maximizing physical and mental health is important. During
this period, yoga can help to optimize reproductive health
to improve the chances of conceiving and help a woman's
body cope with the demands of pregnancy and labor.

During pregnancy, yoga has many benefits and can be
tailored to suit the body's changing needs and capabilities.
As well as helping to strengthen the uterine muscles and
support the spine, enabling the back to cope with additional
pressure, it also helps the body to deal with many of
the health problems common to pregnancy, such as poor
circulation, fluctuations in blood pressure, excess weight
gain, fatigue, edema, and urinary problems. Regular practice
of the yoga asanas strengthens and prepares the body for
the demands of labor, easing delivery.

The discipline involved in
the asanas and the ability to achieve peace of mind enable
the body to face the contractions with less anxiety and
to relax and let go with greater ease in between each
contraction. Regular yoga practice during pregnancy also
speeds recovery and restores energy levels.

After the delivery, the practice of pranayama, or yogic
breathing, increases oxygen intake, helping to ensure
a plentiful supply of milk. A month or two after the birth,
gentle practice can be resumed to restore firmness in
the muscle fibers and encourage a continued supply of
milk. During this period of recovery, the emphasis should
be on recuperative poses, gradually building up to more
active ones and, at around three months after the birth,
normal yoga practice can be resumed.

middle age and menopause

The benefits of yoga continue into middle age and beyond
and are particularly beneficial during menopause. The
benefits of yoga during this time are substantial and
regular practice helps to maintain physical, mental, and
emotional health. Specifically, regular practice in menopause
helps to balance hormones, keep weight under control,
and maintain a healthy digestive system. See menses sequences

yoga in old age

The bodily transition from middle to old age brings with
it many new challenges. Most notable is the increase in
physical fragility brought about by conditions such as
brittle bones, low metabolism, poor circulation, absent-mindedness,
and a general lack of coordination.

At this stage, a great deal of modification is required
and props are a great help, enabling poses to be achieved
with less effort, which in turn helps to maintain blood
circulation and a healthy nervous system. The use of props
also allows the body to both extend and fully relax. The
aim of yoga at this stage, as always, is to maintain both
physical and mental health, therefore bringing about balance
and harmony. In old age, this is achieved by adapting
the practice and adopting new methods with which to achieve
poise and stability in the asanas. With continuity, the
practice of yoga matures and women learn how to accommodate
the physical limitations brought about by increasing age.